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why am i blue i remember well. i don't particularly like the blues, ragtime or jazz but for some reason i pick up on them quickly. same thing for legatto and stacatto. i can do legatto with one hand and stacatto with the other without thinking so my teacher sticks me with stuff like that.

anywayyyy if i remember correctly it's the rythym that's a little tricky for why am i blue? i couldn't get the rythym right away so i did it the old fashioned way played the right hand and got a nice syncopated rythym there. the left hand was fairly easy but i practiced it anyway by itself. then of course i put both hands together and i didn't get the rythym right at the start but i did after a few tries. once you get it one time and it sounds right you'll be able to get it for the rest of the measures.

it'll get better though. i'm finding book 2 easier than book one so those struggles you're going through are going to pay off. also book 2 has those type of pieces so it won't be the last time you see them. alfreds seems to be repetitive imo. so once you get it down the ones to come will be a piece of cake.

do you have the disc for that book? mine came with a disc if you don't have it, i'll post the pieces you're having trouble with so you can have a listen.

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Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear, Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair.>>> Herman Munster

Mark, start any new song so slow that you think you are going to fall asleep doing it. Take maybe three or four bars and make sure you get every note right. Go as slow as you have to in order to play every note correctly. After playing it correctly(four bars)four times in a row, increase the speed very slightly, and then more and then more until you get it up to speed. Make sure you have NO tension in your body, anywere. Tension causes lack of speed and misnotes. Do not go on to the next four bars until you have the first four completely correct. The speed will come with confidence and familiarity and before you know it your fingers will just react from memory and you will come up to speed. This is something I have to do as I am always in a hurry to get through a song and get to speed. I was training myself to be under stress and misnote. Some songs I never got right. If you do the above, you will find your progress actually much faster. Try it.

I haven't bought the discs. I feel a bit like that is cheating. Sort of akin to having my teacher play the piece for me and then playing it myself - which he won't do. If I can hear the rhythm playing it isn't the issue. Seems to me a big part of learning (at least if we are learning this way and not by ear) is counting things out slowing and figuring out how they sound. Especially since part of the goal, or at least mine, is to evenutally not have to take lessons and be able to pick things up and work them out for myself.

My opinion is I wouldn't categorize it as cheating and more like a helpful tool when you just can't get it right.

In essence everyone is different but we're all trying to reach a goal of learning to play the instrument.

I personally will try my best to figure it out but if I reach a point of frustration I will use the disc (I've used it twice by the way) or I will ask my teacher to play that section. I don't feel any less for having done so.

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Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear, Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair.>>> Herman Munster

Originally posted by loly: I personally will try my best to figure it out but if I reach a point of frustration I will use the disc (I've used it twice by the way) or I will ask my teacher to play that section. I don't feel any less for having done so. [/b]

You link definitely helped. Hearing the song helped it click...

Today was one of those good practice days when you feel you made some progress. Some days you just shake your head and say &&^%%$$^@##@* :lol:

After lots of practice the past few weeks I'm within 10 pages of completing book one. I had been stuck half way throuth it for months then something just clicked and shifting between the positions got a lot easier. Its hard not to race through the rest of it so I can start book two!

Originally posted by zoso: After lots of practice the past few weeks I'm within 10 pages of completing book one. I had been stuck half way throuth it for months then something just clicked and shifting between the positions got a lot easier. Its hard not to race through the rest of it so I can start book two! [/b]

Congrats!

Glad its just not me. I've been hanging arounf pages 65-75 for weeks and can't move on...

Hello everyone, I have been lurking for a while and thought I would post to this thread. I find this forum helpful and motivating.

I little history, I started January 2006, Schaums adult level one and learned the first 30 pages in 2 weeks. My instructor was way too slow and would not ramp up his sessions. After 3 weeks I bailed and went looking for another teacher. She started me on Alfred's Adult Basic Cousre book 2 only to challenge me and see how I would do. If it was too hard we would go to Book 1. In March, 06, I was laid off from work and spent 4-6 hours/day practicing for the next 6 months. My teacher ramped everything up including theory. It took 4 months to complete Book 2. September, 06 working again but laid off December 22. Back to 6 hours/day practice.

I left her for a college level teacher last month. We started on classical stuff and heavy drills and Hanon while working in book 3, page 24 now.I have memorized Bach's Menuet in G and Schumanns Frolicher Landmann. I did the Menuet in G at a recital and bombed. I was so nervous I don't remember playing the tune.

I hope to play Canon in D and Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude at a friends wedding in September.

I'm looking to put together a group of adult students to hang out, talk about playing, playing for each other and maybe some cheese and wine. Maybe once a month. I live in the Pottstown area in PA. Anyone from that area and would there be any interest?

Originally posted by Gingerbaker: Hello everyone, I have been lurking for a while and thought I would post to this thread. I find this forum helpful and motivating.

I'm looking to put together a group of adult students to hang out, talk about playing, playing for each other and maybe some cheese and wine. Maybe once a month. I live in the Pottstown area in PA. Anyone from that area and would there be any interest?

Ginger [/b]

Welcome...the way you are practicing your next job will be a music teacher! To be in Book 3 so fast is excellent..congrats...

Amazing work, Ginger! It sounds like you are having a great time and making wonderful progress.

Welcome to the forum. You can do a search in the community directory and see who is around your area from PianoWorld. You also might ask your teacher to make an announcement at any of the local organizations she's in. Certainly other teachers have adult students who would be interested in getting together.

Hi there everyone. New guy here. Going through this thread brought back some memories. I am also on the Alfred's Books and I agree with some of what you people have been saying about some song just bog you down, but others can come as easy as pie.

I am into the 3rd Book and I am into my 3rd year of piano lessons. My piano teacher has me playing the Adagio in A Major. Came real easy but thankfully it was slow in tempo. I'm still scared of the Metronome.

I'll have to keep reading through the forum.Cheers.

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I search for perfect harmony. Because I know perfect timing will be forever out of my reach.